Brown County creates new position, increases fees on Airbnb-type rentals to fund it

The Brown County Courthouse seen from the roof of the Northern Building on Walnut Street Tuesday, May 22, 2018 in Green Bay, Wis.Wednesday, May 23, 2018 in Green Bay, Wis(Photo: Jim Matthews/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)Buy Photo

GREEN BAY - Brown County is creating a new position to help regulate Airbnb type nightly rentals, and increasing the fee on such operations to pay for the post.

It's one of a handful of new full-time positions the County Board endorsed on Wednesday, when it approved a $233.7 million budget for 2019. The vote was 24-2.

The county will pay $67,924 for an environmental-health technician and additional computer software to help regulate "tourist rooming houses" — homes where a person can rent a room like they would rent a room in a hotel.

Owners of such homes would see their annual licensing fees increase from $145 to $235 to cover the cost. The county charges a 40 percent premium in the first year a home is licensed; a new home licensed next year will pay $329.

Local officials had recently raised concerns that such rental units aren't inspected as frequently as hotels and motels. They also say some fail to collect and pay the county's room tax.

Green Bay Supervisor Erik Hoyer asked colleagues to add two positions — a caseworker and a caseworker's supervisor — to address caseloads that are far above those of other counties, and annual turnover is estimated at between 39 and 50 percent. He proposed shifting money from accounts for temporary help, short-term disability costs and soil-testing so the addition wouldn't impact tax bills.

Erik Hoyer(Photo: Courtesy of Erik Hoyer)

"There is a tremendous turnover in child-protective services," said Kevin Brennan, the department's manager for children, youth and families. "My staff sees things people shouldn’t have to see … so people get frustrated and leave."

Human Services Director Erik Pritzl said turnover issues sometimes leave caseworkers with less than two years' experience handling some of the department's more-challenging cases.

"Sexual abuse, emotional damage … and you're asking somebody with a year and a half's experience to handle some extremely sensitive stuff," he said. "We know it can take two or three years to become (competent)."

Pritzl(Photo: Courtesy of Erik Pritzl)

Hoyer's proposal failed, 16-10, after some lawmakers argued that the board should fund one position now, but wait for results of a study planned early next year to determine how problems should be addressed before funding those changes for 2020.

"Too many times we’ve been accused of throwing money around and not understanding why," said Richard Schadewald, a Howard supervisor. "I don’t like it when things haven’t been vetted by a committee … I understand the heart of it, but I’m going to vote no."

A person owning a $150,000 home would pay $669 in county taxes in 2019 — $15.80 less than in 2018.

The tax rate of $4.46 per $1,000 would be the county's lowest since 2008, when it was $4.44.

The county would collect $92.1 million in property taxes, $1.4 million than this year. Total spending would fall to $233.7 million in 2019, from $235.4 million.

Much of the increase in tax-collection is tied to new construction, which boosted the total value of property in Brown County this year by $384 million, or 1.8 percent. The county's total property value is about $21.2 billion.

Debt would be reduced by about $14 million, eliminating about $2 million in interest payments.